Associating an instant message dialog with screen real estate and role based positioning

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for allowing areas of a display to be associated with particular instant messaging users. The present invention provides a menu option to allow a user to select whether to have instant messaging dialog windows open up in the same position as the current window, or alternatively, to have the dialog windows from a specific person open up in a specified location on the display. Thus, the instant messaging software may allow window positions to be associated and “saved” with particular users. A user may create roles or add individual people to a preferences list to allow for different instant messaging window preferences for each role or person. In this manner, a user may specify areas of the display in which an instant messaging dialog window may open according to the various roles.

1 . A method in an instant messaging client for associating an instant messaging dialog with screen real estate, comprising: 
 responsive to an input to create an instant messaging dialog on a display, determining whether an association between an instant messaging address in the instant messaging dialog and a position on the display exists; and    responsive to a determination that an association exists, displaying the instant messaging dialog in the position specified by the association.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the instant messaging dialog is created in response to an incoming message.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the instant messaging dialog is created in response to an outgoing message.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein displaying the instant messaging dialog in the position specified by the association allows a user to immediately identify the party who sent the incoming message.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , where associations between instant messaging users and instant messaging dialog positions are defined by the instant messaging client.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an instant messaging dialog position is associated with an individual.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an instant messaging dialog position is associated with a role.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determination includes analyzing a user's ID against a window policy to determine if an instant messaging user is associated with an individual location policy.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , in response to determining that the instant messaging user is not associated with an individual location policy, determining if the instant messaging user is a member of a particular role.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , in response to determining that the instant messaging user is not associated with an individual location policy and is not a member of a particular role, applying a default location policy for the instant messaging dialog with the instant messaging user.  
   
   
       11 . A data processing system for associating an instant messaging dialog with screen real estate, comprising: 
 responsive to an input to create an instant messaging dialog on a display, determining means for determining whether an association between an instant messaging address in the instant messaging dialog and a position on the display exists; and    displaying means for displaying the instant messaging dialog in the position specified by the association in response to a determination that an association exists.    
   
   
       12 . The data processing system of  claim 11 , wherein the instant messaging dialog is created in response to an incoming message.  
   
   
       13 . The data processing system of  claim 11 , wherein the instant messaging dialog is created in response to an outgoing message.  
   
   
       14 . The data processing system of  claim 13 , wherein displaying the instant messaging dialog in the position specified by the association allows a user to immediately identify the party who sent the incoming message.  
   
   
       15 . The data processing system of  claim 11 , where associations between instant messaging users and instant messaging dialog positions are defined by the instant messaging client.  
   
   
       16 . The data processing system of  claim 11 , wherein an instant messaging dialog position is associated with an individual.  
   
   
       17 . The data processing system of  claim 11 , wherein an instant messaging dialog position is associated with a role.  
   
   
       18 . The data processing system of  claim 11 , wherein the determination includes analyzing a user's ID against a window policy to determine if an instant messaging user is associated with an individual location policy.  
   
   
       19 . The data processing system of  claim 18 , in response to determining that the instant messaging user is not associated with an individual location policy, determining if the instant messaging user is a member of a particular role.  
   
   
       20 . The data processing system of  claim 19 , in response to determining that the instant messaging user is not associated with an individual location policy and is not a member of a particular role, applying a default location policy for the instant messaging dialog with the instant messaging user.  
   
   
       21 . A computer program product in a computer readable medium for associating an instant messaging dialog with screen real estate, comprising: 
 responsive to an input to create an instant messaging dialog on a display, first instructions for determining whether an association between an instant messaging address in the instant messaging dialog and a position on the display exists; and    second instructions for displaying the instant messaging dialog in the position specified by the association in response to a determination that an association exists.    
   
   
       22 . The computer program product of  claim 21 , wherein the instant messaging dialog is created in response to an incoming message.  
   
   
       23 . The computer program product of  claim 21 , wherein the instant messaging dialog is created in response to an outgoing message.  
   
   
       24 . The computer program product of  claim 23 , wherein displaying the instant messaging dialog in the position specified by the association allows a user to immediately identify the party who sent the incoming message.  
   
   
       25 . The computer program product of  claim 21 , where associations between instant messaging users and instant messaging dialog positions are defined by the instant messaging client.  
   
   
       26 . The computer program product of  claim 21 , wherein an instant messaging dialog position is associated with an individual.  
   
   
       27 . The computer program product of  claim 21 , wherein an instant messaging dialog position is associated with a role.  
   
   
       28 . The computer program product of  claim 21 , wherein the determination includes analyzing a user's ID against a window policy to determine if an instant messaging user is associated with an individual location policy.  
   
   
       29 . The computer program product of  claim 28 , in response to determining that the instant messaging user is not associated with an individual location policy, determining if the instant messaging user is a member of a particular role.  
   
   
       30 . The computer program product of  claim 29 , in response to determining that the instant messaging user is not associated with an individual location policy and is not a member of a particular role, applying a default location policy for the instant messaging dialog with the instant messaging user.